Mother, two children found dead in Lockport

Sunday

Nov 4, 2012 at 12:00 PMNov 4, 2012 at 1:05 PM

Nikki BuskeyStaff Writer

The bodies of a mother and her two children were found at the scene of an apartment fire Sunday on Elliott Drive in Lockport. Lafourche Parish sheriff's officials say the family was murdered and the fire was set to cover up the crime.The bodies of Jacquelin Gautreaux Nieves, 29, and her daughters, 6-year-old Gabriela Nieves and 1-year-old Izabela Nieves, were discovered by firemen who responded to the early-morning fire.Investigators found at least one stab wound on each of the bodies. The fire has been ruled arson.Sheriff Craig Webre said the husband and father of the children, Carlos Nieves Jr., 32, reported the fire, and he's under questioning as a person of interest.Officials would not say if Nieves was inside the apartment when the fire started or whether he was injured, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.Detectives have not determined if the crime was committed by a single perpetrator or multiple subjects, the sheriff said.“As a matter of routine investigation (the father) is being questioned, along with many other people,” Webre said.Webre said there is no record of prior domestic incidents at the family's home.No charges have been filed.“Any time you have a loss of life, particularly the loss of a family and children, it is a horrific crime,” Webre said. “This is shocking, horrific and traumatic for the community.” Lockport Police Chief Warren Vedros said this is the community's first murder in 40 years.“This was certainly something that was difficult to wake up to this morning, and we are going to have to come together as a community while we grieve for the family,” Vedros said. “It's a terrible crime, and we're diligently doing all that we can to try to bring this to justice.”Investigators are searching the apartment and speaking to everyone connected to the family who may have information about the crime, Webre said.Police had taped off the apartment complex and one end of Elliott Drive Sunday afternoon as they worked the scene.An autopsy will be performed Monday by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Coroner's Office.“We are working in cooperation with the Lockport Police and Chief Warren Vedros and other agencies, and we will pursue this thing relentlessly until the person or persons involved are brought to justice,” Webre said.